I Have An Agenda

Just so you know.
On my upcoming trip to Oklahoma I have an agenda.

I want to check out Cathy's hip.
I want to check out Hannah's bump.
I want to check out, well, I want to ask about Julia's colon.

I want the joy and experience of meeting the Arkansas family in Tulsa. I have missed out on that treat for years, Years. So can I go to Tulsa for a family lunch, see some Arkansas folks, see a Texan or two? Would Julia, Tal and Jeff let me visit for a while?

I need a manicure and pedicure. Would anyone join me if I waited to have it done in Oklahoma or should I have it done before I leave? I just think it would be a fun activity to do with some Oklahoma family, but I don't have to.

Do I need to bring dog treats for all those dogs I am going to have to pet?

I'll need to go shopping for Hannah's "wee bird" baby shower. I got the Target list but thought why haul it to Oklahoma when I could probably shop there. Hannah I am not very good at sticking to a list, I get distracted by pink fluff. I'm thinking lots and lots of sweet pink thoughts. Can I shop for a baby shower after I arrive?

I want some evil Oklahoma food: Cheever's, the golden chicken place with sweet tea that Brittany loves that I don't know the name of, fried pies, Hideaway Pizza, B J's in Lawton. And where is that State Fair Food restaurant?

I do have an agenda and hope you will indulge some of it.


The bathroom fix is completed. Roger did the last bit of sanding and texturing yesterday. It is beautiful. New shower surround. New tall toilet. New security bar. New hot water heater. It is beautiful, completed, paid for, admired, and inaugurated.

The initiation commenced without a hitch except the plumbers left on a Friday morning and the new hot water heater leaked onto/into Ian's closet for hours before it was discovered. An emergency visit from the said plumbers discovered the faulty part, it was not workmanship, they fixed the faulty part, and Ian started drying his wardrobe. Now his perfect closet was pretty much strewn all over every chair, counter, bed, and surface. No, he wasn't upset, just pragmatic and fired up the dryer.

Here is the funny part. Ian had so many clothes in his closet to soak up all the water from the leak that it barely affected the neighbors downstairs. The neighbor came up to tell me there was a wet spot, not to complain, but so that I would be aware. It was a kindness. Nice neighbors! Yes, I bought them some Valentine chocolates and a Starbuck's drink card as an apology. Yeah for Ian's clothes, they absorbed most of the potential damage.

It was chaos for a while. After all the chaos of plumbers working, tearing out, installing, going in and out, leaks, Ian's clothes piled everywhere, (You do remember Ian's pristine closet don't you?), it was chaos! Then Roger started sawing sanding texturing building cutting chalking. There were tools dust clothes supplies stuff everywhere. Roger worked all day Saturday, Sunday, and Monday finishing the sheet rock to wed the new shower surround to the rest of the bathroom. My job was to keep Connor entertained while Roger worked. Keep Connor entertained and breath.

Connor was easy, breathing wasn't, with my compromised lungs. Ian went out and bought me a face mask late one evening. Life was much better after that. And now it is done.

I love sons.


I came home one day to some cops stalking around the building. I looked out the window to see if I could see any activity. I couldn't so it is still a mystery.

I saw a vehicle that said "Drink Local Coffee". I think they meant locally roasted coffee because to my knowledge coffee beans don't grow in Washington. Silly vehicle.

My first few weeks of retirement I drove 30 miles according to my vehicle odometer. Ah, retirement.

Lynn and I had breakfast and blessed the fact that we live in a Bacon World.

I woke up one night and my clock said it was 11:11. I loved that. No, it doesn't mean a thing I just loved it anyway. Silly me.

I shared this post on FB, but am also sharing it here in case you missed it because it is so beautiful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMUplV73baA
How Great Thou Art by Stikyard. Enjoy.

The new Book Challenge is; since I am getting ready to travel to Oklahoma I wanted a book about travel, but this is the closest I could find on the list: A book set somewhere you have always wanted to visit. 

Now back to Hannah. Hannah can you do bed rest at home or does it have to be in the hospital? Please take a picture of your toes so I can see what you are seeing then you can go back to contemplating your navel. Forty days to go sweet girl you will know your navel very well. See you Saturday.

Let The Wild Rumpus Start

Let the wild rumpus start:

Yep, the bathtub surround is gone, two big dudes came in and ripped it out. It is the beginning of my bathroom improvement. Savings, plus severance, plus tax refund, plus payment from Social Security gave me the confidence to "get 'er done." They said 1 week, Roger said un-uh. They quoted a price, Roger said un-uh. He suggested a good rule of thumb is twice as long, twice as much.

So here is the plan. Get the bathroom finished and then skedaddle to Oklahoma.

It seems as though there is always a reason to celebrate. Super Bowl -- over. Mardi Gras - over. Oscars -- approaching. My celebration will be skedaddling to Oklahoma. Year of the Monkey -- starting.

It seems as though everything is monkey-ish in my world. Is it just me or does everyone need to attempt a task three/four times before it is completed. Example; I wanted a new mail box key and went to my local Post Office to get a new one. She, kindly, said we don't handle that here you have to go to the Post Office in Everett. The lady in Everett, kindly, said we don't do keys we put in a whole new lock and it costs $65.00, but this key you can have made by any locksmith. Where is Kenny when I need him? So I went to Home Depot for a key and out of 9,000 blanks guess which one they didn't have? He, kindly, said Fred Meyer has the same system they should be able to make it for you, but by then I gave up and went home. That was the week I felt like crap. Feeling much better now.

Julia how are you feeling?
Cathy how are you feeling?
How is everyone feeling today?

The saga of the "key" was just one example. Everything else in my life is going just as smoothly. It seems as though it is always effort times three. Whether I'm trying to find something on a website (Advantage insurance anyone? Advantage pharmacies anyone?) or something much more mundane like a new ink cartridge for the printer or a dying DVD player to work. Jean gave me a card one time that said, "Sometimes the only way out is through the muddle." I'm still in the muddle.

"Life is hard even when blessed." I read that on Facebook.

Does anyone else forget to buy what they need to buy and then buy what they don't need? Which is why I have 3 jars of Low Sodium Kikkoman Soy Sauce and no Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce.

I'm blaming everything on stress and high blood sugar; thirst, headaches, fuzzy concentration, fuzzy vision, fatigue, and stomach troubles. There should be some weight loss in there, but that hasn't happened yet. I put myself on a high protein diet and feel better. Almost a high protein diet, I'll be honest here, I've cheated a bit.

I also cheated on The Book Challenge Book; the one set in the future. I reread one. I reread The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Love that book. It is one of my comfort books. I really tried to find a book I hadn't read before but fuzzy brain got in the way.

Book club is tomorrow night at my house, I hope they will pardon my dust. This month the book was Gilead. A wonderful, fantastic, lovely, thoughtful, interesting book that I will recommend heartily. I'm glad I read it before my brain became so fragmented.

I read a sentence in a book review and know it is false but I can't quite put my finger on why. Back to fuzzy brain I think."How does the fact that we're all mortal influence the way we think about our lives?' There is an untruth lurking in that phrase that I haven't been able to suss out. The author was talking about the book When Breath Becomes Air, by Dr Paul Kalanithi.

Open letter to Cara who wrote on FB February 8th, "Being a parent is hard..."

Dear Cara, being a parent isn't hard; a little fun in the hay, nine months of incubation, a birthing, and you are a parent. The real true statement is "being a good parent is hard..."

Teething, tantrums, homework, science projects, make up, boys, or girls as the case may be, driving, trust, braces, sickness, dirty socks, dirty rooms, dirty tubs, dangers, divorces -- all of it taking time, thought, guidance, herding, care, patience, kindness, and lots and lots of love can be and will be exhausting to the good parent.

Sorry young lady but you have already chosen your path -- the hard path. Not being in the middle, or muddle as the case may be, but gazing at you from some distance, a vantage point of perspective, you have lots more to get sucked out of you before it is over, it is all renewable resources so just hang on. You are in the midst of a wild rumpus.

Now I am going to go make soup for The Bear Book Club meeting here tomorrow night.
When the rumpus is over I'll be in Oklahoma.
Ahhh the rewards of muddling through.

Love to all